ODP Development language Choices

Mobile Application Development

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Mobile Application programming language choices

Deciding what Language to Develop a mobile Application in

The choices when it comes to what the application is developed in depends on two main and one additional criteria:

Distribution - how many, how few phones it will work on; is it just Nokias, just high-end, as many phones as possible, etc
Functionality - does the application need to access deep functionality of the phone, i.e. GSM codecs, AT Commands, etc.
Funding/politics - basically; you can go for point one or point two, if you want both or there is an agenda (proving a certain technology, DRM, etc.) you need deep pockets, but then if you are playing in the mobile space you should be used to this ;-)

Quick overview of ODP programming language choices... a full description is coming soon, but in the meantime you have:

Java, the widest set of handset choices, but with it the lowest level of access to advanced functions (even if the handset is supposed to support them sometimes!) wide ranging reactions of different manufacturer implementations, and the widest amount of testing required.
S60 Symbian, very advanced, but advanced coding required, Symbian aggressively controls wayward apps, which is good for handset stability, but requires a bit more skill to get right. Once this is achieved, unless using very deep, manufacturer dependent functionality, works very well across handsets. Of course the handset list is second widest (equal?) to the next option.
Flash. Flash had its problems in early implementations, like buying a £6 licence from one of the worst e-commerce sights in the world every time you got a new handset, and static objects. These days are gone, fortunately, and flash has great potential.
Windows mobile. The list of freeware apps is long. It seems it is easy to program for windows mobile, even I got voice over IP telephony going when other OS and handset manufacturers would not even speak to me for daring to deprive network operators of their license to fleece... but it comes at a price of potentially wearing out the reset button that only microsoft mobile devices need, sorry, have.
Others, Linux, androids... early days...

posted by Christian Borrman 18:05pm 22/12/06, updated 21:52 19/05/08

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